---
title: Do women with premenstrual tension have lower beta-endorphin?
description: Yes. Women with symptoms had lower blood beta-endorphin during the early luteal phase (10.7 vs 14.6 pg/ml). This suggests a hormonal difference but doesn't pr
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/plasma-beta-endorphin-immunoreactivity-in-premenstrual-tension-1987/
---

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- Do women with premenstrual tension have lower beta-endorphin?

Case-control study, 1987

# Do women with premenstrual tension have lower beta-endorphin?

Yes. Women with symptoms had lower blood beta-endorphin during the early luteal phase (10.7 vs 14.6 pg/ml). This suggests a hormonal difference but doesn't prove it causes symptoms.

 Early or limited evidence

12 women with premenstrual tension and 14 control women

## What they did

Measured blood beta-endorphin and hormone levels in 12 women with premenstrual tension and 14 control women at different phases of the cycle.

## What they found

In the early luteal phase, women with symptoms had lower beta-endorphin (10.7 pg/ml) than controls (14.6 pg/ml, P < 0.05). Levels of LH, cortisol, estradiol, and progesterone did not differ significantly. Women with symptoms showed no change in beta-endorphin between follicular and luteal phases.

## What it means for you

Lower blood beta-endorphin may relate to premenstrual tension, but this was a very small study and doesn't prove causation. The problem might be in the brain rather than just the blood. Much larger studies are needed.

10.7 pg/ml

Beta-endorphin in women with symptoms

14.6 pg/ml

Beta-endorphin in controls

P < 0.05

Statistical significance

## About the study

Original title Plasma beta-endorphin immunoreactivity in premenstrual tension Authors Tulenheimo A, Laatikainen T, Salminen K Journal British journal of obstetrics and gynaecology Year 1987 Study design Case-control study Participants 14 What was tested Measurement of blood beta-endorphin levels Read the paper [doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-0528.1987.tb02247.x](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-0528.1987.tb02247.x)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Cognition, concentration and memory](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-cognition/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)

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